Variable friction drive for stuffer crimper

ABSTRACT

A VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR THE FEED ROLLS OR THE WINDER ROLLS OF A STUFFED CRIMPER INCLUDING A DRIVING ROLL DRIVEN AT A CONSTANT SPEED, A DRIVEN MEMBER MOUNTED TO DRIVE SAID ROLLS AND HAVING AREAS OF DIFFERENT RADII, AN IDLER MEMBER INTER-CONNECTING THE DRIVING ROLL AND THE DRIVEN MEMBER AND SHIFTABLE TO ENGAGE THE DRIVEN MEMBER AT AREAS OF DIFFERENT RADII FOR VARYING THE DRIVE RATIO. A SWITCH ACTUATED BY A MEMBER THAT SENSES THE LEVEL OF THE CORE OF CRIMPED YARN IN THE CRIMPER IS CONNECTED TO SHIFT THE POSITION OF THE IDLER MEMBER TO VARY THE DRIVE RATIO SO AS TO MAINTAIN THE CORE AT A UNIFORM LEVEL IN THE CRIMPER.

p 20, 1971 c. R. CABELLO 3,605,222

VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR STUFFER CRIMPER 4| F I l6 l2 INVENTDR CHARLES R. CABELLO ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1971 R, BELLQ 3,605,222

VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR STUFFER CRIMPER Filed Oct. 3, 1.969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

34 INVENTOR CHARLES R. CABELLO 35 ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1971 c. R. CABELLO 3,605,222

VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR STUFFER CRIMPER Filed Oct. 3, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 56 INVENTOR CHARLES R. CA BELLO e2 61 BY way ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1971 Q (:ABELLC 3,605,222

VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR STUFFER CRIMPER Filed Oct. 3. 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7

INVENTOR CHARLES R. CABELLO BY Wo f;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,605,222 VARIABLE FRICTION DRIVE FOR STUFFER CRIMPER Charles R. Cabello, Wilmington, Del., assignor to Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co., Wilmington, Del.

Filed Oct. 3, 1969, Ser. No. 863,514 Int. Cl. D02g 1/12 US. Cl. 281.7 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A variable friction drive for the feed rolls or the winder roHs of a stutter crimper including a driving roll driven at a constant speed, a driven member mounted to drive said rolls and having areas of dilferent radii, an idler member inter-connecting the driving roll and the driven member and shiftable to engage the driven member at areas of different radii for varying the drive ratio.

A switch actuated by a member that senses the level of the core of crimped yarn in the crimper is connected to shift the position of the idler member to vary the drive ratio so as to maintain the core at a uniform level in the crimper.

This invention relates to drive mechanism for the feed rolls or the winder rolls of a stuffer crimper and more particularly to a friction drive which may be adjustable for varying the rate of drive.

An object is to provide a mechanical drive of the above type having novel and improved features of construction.

Another object is to provide, such a drive which is dependable in operation.

Another object is to provide, in apparatus involving a plurality of crimping heads operated from a common drive shaft, means for effecting a positive and uniform control for the individual heads whereby the crimp levels in the resulting yarns in the respective heads are made more uniform.

Another object is to eliminate the use of individual drive belts which are subject to unpredictable variations in slippage and Wear.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which specific embodiments have been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of a stuffer crimper and drive mechanism embodying the present invention with parts in section for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the linet 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a stulfer crimper illustrating a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a elevation of the drive mechanism of FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is an elevation showing the variable speed drive of FIGS. 1 to 3 applied to the winder of a stutter crimper; and

FIG. 8 is a similar view showing the drive of FIGS. 4 to 6 applied to the winder of a stutter crimper.

Referring to the drawings more in detail a stutfer crimper is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 having a housing 10 containing suitable heating means not shown and having a bore in which a sleeve 11 is secured. A tube 12 forming a crimping and setting chamber is disposed within the sleeve 11 and is provided with a saddle 13 registering with the nip of a pair of feed rolls 14 and 15 which are "ice adapted to feed yarn into the crimping chamber to be folded over and crimped against the core 16 of previously crimped yarn in said chamber.

The feed rolls 14 and 15 are mounted on shafts 20' and 21 which are geared together for operation in unison by suitable gears.

A driven disk 25 is mounted directly on the drive shaft 20 of the feed roll 14. A driving roll 28 having an axial length at least equal to the radius of the disk 25 is mounted on a driven shaft 23 which may constitute a common drive shaft for a plurality of crimping heads. The heads are so arranged that the plane of the disc 25 is parallel to and spaced from the surface of the roll 28.

An idler roll 30' is mounted on a shaft 31 the end of which is journalled in the core of a solenoid 34. The solenoid 34 is mounted on a bracket 35 having a flange 36 which is pivoted to an arm 37. This arm is pivoted at 38 and carries a weight 39 at its free end by which the bracket 36 is urged upwardly to hold the idler roll 30 in driving contact with the surfaces of the driving roll 28 and the disk 25. The arrangement is such that when the solenoid is de-energized a spring 33a holds the idler roll 30 in an advanced position toward the center of the disk 25. When the solenoid 34 is energized by closing of its contact by the slug due to a rise in the level of the core of crimped yarn in the crimping chamher, the idler roll 30 is retracted radially of the disk 25 so as to contact the same nearer its outer periphery and thus decrease the speed of the feed rolls 14 and 15. When the level of the core of yarn falls sufficiently to open the contact the reverse action takes place to increase the speed of the feed rolls.

The crimped yarn is extracted from the end of the core 16 by a constant speed winder or other take-up device not shown. A slug 40 having a shoulder 41 rests on the end of the core 16 in the chamber 12 to rise and fall therewith. A microswitch 43 has a control shaft 44 which carries a feeler wire 45 which rests upon the shoulder 41 of the slug 40 to be actuated thereby. The rnicroswitch 43 is connected to control the energization of the solenoid 34 as the level of the core 16 rises and falls.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 6 the drive is effected by means of a tapered roll. In this form a tapered roll is mounted on the drive shaft 51 of one of the feed rolls. The drive shaft 53 carries a driving roll 54 which is disposed opposite but spaced from the tapered roll 50*. An idler roll 55 is mounted on a shaft 56 which is journalled in the core of a solenoid 58. The solenoid is mounted on a bracket 59 having a flange 60 which is pivoted by a pin 61 to an arm 62. The arm is pivoted at 63 and carries a weight 64 by which the bracket is urged upwardly to hold the idler roll 55 in driving contact with both the driving roll 54 and the tapered roll 50. A spring 66 holds the bracket in proper position to maintain the rolls in contact. The idler roll 55 is advanced toward the smaller end of the tapered roll 50* by a spring 67 when the solenoid '58 is de-energized and is shifted toward the larger end of the tapered roll 50' when the solenoid 58 is energized.

The solenoid 58 is connected to be energized by the slug and the operation is otherwise the same as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. It will be noted that in this embodiment the feed roll shafts extend parallel to the main drive shaft whereas, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 the feed roll shafts extend normal to the main drive shaft. The arrangement used will depend upon the orientation of the heads in any particular installation.

In FIG. 7 the crimper tube 12, slug 40 and feeler 45 are parts of a stuffer crimper as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Only the discharge end of the crimper is shown in FIG. 7. The other parts are similar to those above described.

In FIG. 7 the crimped yarn 70 is withdrawn from the discharge end of the tube 12 and, after passing over suitable guides, is fed to a package 71 carried on a spindle 72. The package 71 rests upon and is driven by a drive roll 73 mounted on a shaft 74 journalled in brackets 75.

The shaft 74 carries a disc a corresponding to the disc 25 of FIGS. 1 to 3. A common drive shaft 23a, which may extend past several winders, carries a drive roll 28a which drives an idler roll 30a mounted on a shaft 31a and carried on a bracket 35a. The idler roll 30a engages and drives the disc 25a and is shiftable radially of the disc in response to variations in the level of the core of crimped yarn in the tube 12 as sensed by the slug which actuates the switch 43 as described above.

In this embodiment the crimper feed rolls are driven at a constant speed and the drive ratio between the drive shaft 23a and the disc 25a is varied in response to actuation of the switch 43 so as to vary the rate of the winder in a sense to maintain the top of the core in the tube 12 at a constant level.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8 the winder 71 and associated parts are similar to those of FIG. 7. In FIG. 8 the shaft 74 carries a tapered roll a which is driven by an idler roll a carried on a shaft 56a and driven by a roll 54a mounted on a shaft 53a which may constitute the common drive shaft for a plurality of winders.

The idler roll 55a is shifted axially of the tapered roll 50a in response to actuation of the switch 43 in a sense to maintain the top of the core of crimped yarn in the tube 12 at a substantially constant level.

In this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the crimper feed rolls are driven at a constant speed and the rate of the winder is varied as required. It is to be understood, of course, that any combination of drives of the type shown in the various figures may be used in accordance with the requirements of any particular case. Further, the winders of FIGS. 7 and 8 could be replaced by the type of winders in which the package is driven by the spindle which carries it in which case the disc or tapered roll would be mounted directly on the spindle shaft.

Obviously the idler rolls could be eliminated and the driven members could be driven directly from the driving rolls which would then have to be keyed to the drive shaft for shifting back and forth in response to actuation of the switch 43 by the slug.

Further, the solenoid means for shifting the idler roll could be replaced by a reversible motor device or other similar mechanism.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a stulfer crimper having a crimping chamber, a roll disposed to control the quantity of yarn in said chamber, and a sensing member disposed to sense the level of the core of crimped yarn in said chamber, a driven element, a driven shaft carrying said roll and said element, a driving shaft, a driving element mounted on said driving shaft, means coupling said driving element to drive said driven element and control means actuated by said sensing member to vary the drive ratio between said elements so as to vary the rate of drive of said roll in the sense to maintain said core at a substantially uniform level.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which one of said elements comprises a roll and said coupling means includes an idler roll interconnecting said driving element and said driven element, and said control means is connected to shift said idler roll along said elements.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said driven element is a disk mounted on said driven shaft and said idler roll is shifted radially thereof by said control means.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which said driven roll constitutes a feed roll adapted to feed said yarn for crimping into said chamber.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the driven roll is connected to drive a winder package.

6. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which one of said elements is a tapered roll and said idler roll is shifted axially thereof by said control means.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which said driven roll constitutes a feed roll adapted to feed said yarn for crimping into said chamber.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 6 in which the driven roll is connected to drive a winder package.

9. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said control means includes a solenoid having a spring return connected to shift said idler roll along the driven element in a sense to vary the drive ratio.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which a switch actuated by said sensing member is connected to control the energization of said solenoid.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which said sensing member comprises a slug resting on said core, and a wire adapted to actuate said switch is actuated by said slug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,734,229 2/1956 Shattuck 28--l.7 3,341,911 9/1967 Smith 28--l.7 3,353,242 11/1967 Schrader 28-l.7

LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner 

